Press Release
May 10, 2011

Transcript of Press Conference of Senator TG Guingona on the Sandiganbayan's resolution on Plea Bargain Agreement

Opening Statement

STG: Itong decision ng Sandiganbayan ay pinakita dito na pinalusot ng Sandiganbayan si General Carlos Garcia. May pabaon siyanG 165 million pesos , 135 lang ang pinabalik pero ang ninakaw ni General Garcia ay 300 million. Tama ba iyon? 300 million ang kinuha mo pero ang ibabalik mo ay 135 million lang? Pangalawa, sa paniwala ba talaga ng Sandiganbayan na si General Garcia ay may-ari talaga ng pera? Sa tingin kasi nila ay si General Garcia ang may-ari ng pera at hindi ang taumbayan. Nakakalungkot sa lahat, bakit pa nagagalit sa taumbayan at sa media? Nakalagay sa decision ng Sandiganbayan na sila ay nagagalit sa taumbayan at media. Sinabi nila, in so many words, na sinungaling at bobo ang taumbayan. Hindi natin maunawaan. Kawawa ang taumbayan. Sa tingin namin, base sa imbestigasyon, 'yung pera ay pera ng taumbayan at hindi kay General Carlos Garcia. Nabuking si General Garcia, hinabol ng taumbayan, dinemanda at inimbestigahan. Tama ba iyon? Sa akala naming pera ng taumbayan yan at hindi pera ni General Carlos Garcia.

Q: Bubuksan ba ulit ang pag imbestiga?

STG: Hindi na, sapagkat sapat na ang mga investigations namin. Kaya nga talagang nakakapagtaka. Sa tingin namin, ang Sandiganbayan ay hindi na Sandigan ng bayan kung hindi SANDIGAN NI GENERAL GARCIA. Hindi po tama yan.

Q: Do you feel insulted after all these investigations , 'yan lang pala ang patutunguhan ng kaso?

STG: I feel that justice has not been served by the decision. We will continue the fight. Hindi pa naman tapos ito. Tulad ng boxing, tapos ang round 1 at nasa round 2 tayo ngayon. Parang yung tinulak ni Moseley si Paquiao. Akala natin na knock down iyon pala ay hindi, ganito rin iyon.

Q: How will you continue to fight?

STG: Right now it's not in our hands, it's in the hands of the Solicitor General. They will file a motion for reconsideration . Again kung hindi maging matagumpay iyon, then we will go to the supreme court.

Q: Paano makikialam ang Senado sa motion for reconsideration?

STG: We will just have to coordinate first with the Solicitor General because after all, they plan to continue the fight all the way up.

Q: Kasama kayo sa MR sir?

STG: Hindi pa namin napagpasyahan iyan.

Q: Sir, puwede ba natin balikan ang mga special prosecutors?

STG: I understand that they already have an administrative case with Malacanang and they are undergoing with the due process.

Q: 'Yung buong team sir?

STG: Yes.

Q: Sir, nagkaroon daw kayo ng meeting with the President kaninang tanghali?

STG: Yes, nagkaroon ng meeting pero ang pinag-usapan ay ang postponement ng ARMM elections.

Q: Ano agreement?

STG: We talked about pushing through with the postponement of the ARMM elections.

Q: May oras pa ba sir?

STG: Sa tingin namin ay may oras pa naman.

Q: Nag-agree na ba ang Senate?

STG: No. Konti lang naman kami na andoon, mga Liberal Party.

Q: Sinu-sino ang nandoon?

STG: Drilon, Pangilinan, Recto and me. Purely LP lang.

Q: Ano sabi sir?

STG: We discussed the matter and we feel that we will try to push through as much as we can with the postponement of the ARMM elections.

Q: Did the president got a firm commitment from 4 senators?

STG: Well, the four senators, yes.

Q: Do you think you can convince the other senators?

STG: We will try.

Q: Sa palagay niyo, sino pa ang makukuha niyong suporta?

STG: I don't want to speculate at this time.

Q: How was the mood of the President. Does he look desperate o hindi pa naman?

STG: He looked very confident .

Q: Namapo-postpone?

STG: Yes.

Q: Kahit apat pa lang kayo na nagcommit?

STG: We were the only ones who were called so I suppose it would be unfair to ask the others who are not there.

Q: Is there no need to call for Senator Marcos, who heads the committee?

STG: I don't know. That's not for me to call, that's for the President. It was mostly a free-wheeling discussion lang, actually. It wasn't a formal meeting.

Q: Hindi napag-usapan ang Sandiganbayan?

STG: Hindi. Not at all. Yun lang talaga. Thank you.

Q: Hindi ba parang inignore ng Sandiganbayan ang Senate findings?

STG: Anong parang? Talagang inignore nila.

Q: Wala bang conflict doon?

STG: Wala naman. Hindi naman. Separate institution. It's their right to ignore it also.

Q: Pero, kahit may ganung findings kayo, hindi ba puwede ang Senate ang mismo ang mag-initiate? Talagang pagrekomenda lang kayo?

STG: Yes. Later on, we go to the Supreme Court. I don't know if we have to do that because the OSG is going to do that already.

Q: Hindi na kailangan ng Senate gawin iyon?

STG: Baka hindi na kailangan . Thank you.

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